Jade Cove
4.5
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Jade hunters enjoy looking for this gem on the beach.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
56 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
18
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
2
nemaihne
SF Bay Area1 contribution
Jul 2013 • Friends
I don't like to post, just lurk. But I needed to correct the information that it's illegal to take jade from the sanctuary areas. Rockhounding is legal, pursuant to 922.132 of the NOAA regulations regarding Monterey Bay.
Mining for jade is illegal in the area, but picking up loose pieces of rock is fine.
Mining for jade is illegal in the area, but picking up loose pieces of rock is fine.
Written December 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bellatryx
Los Angeles, CA1 contribution
Jade Cove is an amazing geologically rich tribute to California's coast! The dark green jade makes up the entire stretch of the coastline there! It is a bit of a hike down from the parking area right off PCH, so it is not accessible for any handicapped people, but it is definitely worth the hike. But please, do not take a mass amount of the Jade home. More and more people go through this area and rob it of what makes it so special and if it keeps happening, your children may not be able to experience it. Enough ranting, if you are in the area, stop by. You'll love it.
Written August 25, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1234texas
Seabrook, TX5,185 contributions
Sept 2019
There are so many place to stop on this drive that you really do have to plan them in advance, or you will never get to your destination. If you are going to the Hearst Castle, planning is critical. Too many stops and you will miss your tour, and that would be a shame!
This is a good stop--beautiful!
This is a good stop--beautiful!
Written November 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
julie248
New York City, NY1,434 contributions
Apr 2018 • Solo
Do you want to climb down a cliff? No? Neither did I. Wish I had known that would be required to get to this beach, so I could have saved myself the trouble of driving down here, slipping and falling on the long muddy trail to the cliff, and then discovering that there was no way in heck I'd be getting down the slippery muddy cliff to the beach. Even if it wasn't muddy, I don't see how people safely get down the bluff to the beach. Maybe if you know exactly where to go when the path splits and runs parallel to the cliff over the beach, maybe there's a less inaccessible place to get down the cliff, but I ran out of patience when I saw what a long, vertical climb down it would be. Waste of time.
Written May 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sojourner_mom
Concord, CA179 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
I was intrigued by all the jade for sale in Big Sur and was insisted we stop to find some of our own. It's not that easy! the cove was not marked, the trail led to a steep cliff and it took us a while to find a place to get down. And then we were not sure what we were looking for. But all in all, it was a fun and breathtakingly beautiful adventure on this off-the-beaten path.
Written April 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davis K
Phoenix, AZ2,028 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Continuing our trip north on Highway 1, we stopped to explore Jade Cove. There is a sign on the inland side of the highway marked “Jade Cove Beach Recreation Area”. Park in one of the pull outs along the road. Just opposite the sign is a path that leads down to the coast. The climb in and out of the cove is steep. Someone had left some strapping material attached to low trees to be used to stop what could be a really rapid decent if a person wasn't careful. It was equally welcome as a way to help haul ourselves out and up the trail. This is not a trail for flip-flops.
Some people take time to look for jade in the area. If you find jade you can take it with you. However, there is both jade and serpentine, a green rock that has no value as a gem stone in the cove. There is a lot of green rock in the cove. It's a good bet 99% of it is serpentine.
An hour or two should be adequate time to visit the cove. There are no amenities in the immediate area.
Some people take time to look for jade in the area. If you find jade you can take it with you. However, there is both jade and serpentine, a green rock that has no value as a gem stone in the cove. There is a lot of green rock in the cove. It's a good bet 99% of it is serpentine.
An hour or two should be adequate time to visit the cove. There are no amenities in the immediate area.
Written March 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TIMOTHY S
North Fort Myers, FL145 contributions
Jan 2012 • Couples
Great place for sunsets & whale watching.
Steep cliff with ropes to get down to actual beach. Lots of poison oak/ivy; got the worse case of my life there.
Steep cliff with ropes to get down to actual beach. Lots of poison oak/ivy; got the worse case of my life there.
Written February 10, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David J
Santa Barbara, CA285 contributions
Dec 2015 • Couples
The cove is on the south end of the beach. There are laws against picking jade above the mean tide line. But, just walk the beach, carefully, and you're bound to find a piece you'll take home to share with your friends who didn't make the trip with you.
Written January 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann C
Nashville, TN3,336 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
There were three groups of two to include us while we were out at jade cove today...the other two groups were taking jade...what is up? It is illegal to take it! I wish there was a report # to call so that I could have reported what I saw. It made me sick to witness however we were driving through and I had no idea how to report it. It seemed like these two groups had done this before as they seemed to have a routine. The views were beautiful here and it is well worth the stop to take the trail.
Written November 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lj3650
sacramento75 contributions
I asked directions from some locals and they described where the trail down to the beach is. They said the sign marker it is down. We saw where we thought it was, and it is just a turnout, so little parking. I guess it's a popular place to scuba dive. Just a little farther north is Sand Dollar beach. Ample parking with a restroom. We did find jade at this beach (see my review), but no sand dollar shells.
Written December 13, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where exactly is Jade Cove? I see it labeled as San Simeon, but I have never seen signs for it there. Is it north of the Elephant Seal Rookery?
Thanks
Written January 4, 2015
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